Fourth Sunday of Advent 2012

Micah 5: 1-4a
Hebrews 10: 5-10
Luke 1: 39-45

Now I do not claim to be psychic, but I am willing to bet that every child here is thinking “One more day till Christmas!!”  And there must be many adults here thinking; “Oh my goodness, only one day till Christmas!”  We are thinking of the presents we still have to buy and wrap, the food supplies we have to buy for Christmas dinner, and how much time we need to prepare it.  Then all those personal crises seem to get magnified, during the Christmas season, so much pressure and tension.

Let us just for moment, stop, try to still our minds and our hearts, and listen for the voice of the Lord; feel his Presence, realize that we are about to celebrate something wonderful that has happened in the past, is happening now, and will continue to happen into the future.  St. Elizabeth knew something awesome was about to happen, she had already experienced God’s power in her life, when, in her late age, she was able to become pregnant.  One could say that she was already sensitive to the power of the Holy Spirit, so that when she heard Mary’s voice and felt her child leaped in her womb, not move or kick, but leaped, she knew something more powerful than her miracle was occurring.  She realized instinctively that Mary was carrying the Son of God.

God was intervening again in the lives of His people, the children of Israel, as He did during the time of Moses.  The promised Messiah was coming, not with great sound and fury, but as a little child, born of a simple Jewish, peasant woman.  Yet, He will become a Shepherd of His People, not only the people of Israel, but of all nations, caring for them, healing them, and guiding them. 

It is this that we celebrate in a couple of days, this great miracle, and this great act of love by the Father.  It is an act of love that continues today.  We continue to celebrate Emmanuel, “God is with us.”  Jesus Christ is present as the Word of God, He is present in the Eucharist, and He is present within each of us when we open our hearts to Him.  And He cares for us as a shepherd, comforting us, and guiding us, bringing us back to the Father.

In the time that is left, I encourage all of us to make some quiet space in our day, so that we can hear the voice of our Shepherd, and in hearing that voice we will leap for joy.

SFO in No. New England hold Chapter of Elections

The Secular Franciscan Order is made up of international, national, regional, and local fraternities. The SFO in the United States is composed of various regional fraternities, each containing a number of local fraternities. In the northern New England area, the local SFO fraternities are gathered into Saint Elizabeth of Hungary Regional Fraternity.

During April 26 through to April 28, 2009, representatives from the fraternities met at the Franciscan Center in Andover, MA, for the triennial Regional Chapter of Elections. As Minister for my fraternity (St. Anthony, Boston, MA), I attended the Chapter. For the first time, I decided to stay overnight, rather than commute to the meetings from my home, which is near by. The Franciscan Center is housed in buildings that used be the minor seminary for the Franciscan Friars (OFM) of Immaculate Conception Province. The Center was recently renovated, and is very nice, with beautiful grounds.






A Chapter meeting has both the mundane and the spiritual, there were business meetings; reports and budgets to review and approve. But there was also times when we gathered together in prayer, and for sharing.

The main piece of business was the elections, which went very smoothly. The new Regional Executive Council for St. Elizabeth of Hungary Regional Fraternity are: Jacquelyn Walsh, SFO – Minister; Miriam Kennedy, SFO – Vice Minister; Sue Ronan, SFO – Secretary; Pat Gagnon, SFO – Treasurer; District Councilors: Sarah Anderson, SFO; Joe Makely, SFO; Roselle Neely, SFO; David Amara, SFO; John Sheridan, SFO; Ray Raboin, SFO.




May the Holy Spirit be with them and inspire them.